System and method for low latency wireless connection

Abstract

A method of establishing a low latency connection between a first device and a second device on a wireless network is presented. The method contains the steps of: forming a first wireless connection between the first and second devices; forming at least a second and parallel wireless connection between the first and second devices; and sending data between the first and second devices using at least the first and second connections. For any wireless protocol for data exchange between devices that specifies a minimum interval between data exchange events, the present disclosure enables a lower latency than would otherwise be achievable according to a standard protocol.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of establishing a low latency wireless connection between a master device and a slave device, the method comprising the steps of:
 forming a first wireless connection between the master and slave devices according to a BLE network protocol; 
 after forming of the first wireless connection, adopting a different MAC address for the slave device; 
 after adopting the different MAC address, forming at least a second and parallel wireless connection between the master and slave devices according to said BLE network protocol; and 
 sending data from the slave device to the master devices using at least the first and second connections. 
 
     
     
       2. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , including offsetting the start time of successive connection events by an offset time period. 
     
     
       3. The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the offset time period between consecutive connection intervals is substantially equal to the ratio of the connection interval and the number of wireless connections. 
     
     
       4. The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the offset time period between consecutive connection intervals is around 0.5 ms. 
     
     
       5. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , where in the master device combines the data sent using a plurality or all of the parallel wireless connections, and processes the combined data. 
     
     
       6. A system of wirelessly connected devices, the system comprising:
 a master device and a slave device; 
 wherein the system is configured to provide a first wireless connection between the master and slave devices according to a BLE network protocol and then to provide at least a second and parallel wireless connection between the master and slave devices according to said same BLE network protocol, 
 wherein the slave device adopts a different MAC address for each of said first and second wireless connections; 
 and wherein data is sendable between the master and slave devices using at least the first and second wireless connections. 
 
     
     
       7. The system as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the system is configured to offset a start time of successive connection events by an offset time period. 
     
     
       8. The system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the offset period between consecutive connection intervals is substantially equal to the ratio of the connection interval and the number of wireless connections. 
     
     
       9. The system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the offset time period between consecutive connection intervals is around 0.5 ms. 
     
     
       10. The system as claimed in  claim 6 , including a multiplexer for combining the data sent using a plurality or all of the parallel wireless connections. 
     
     
       11. A master device which is wirelessly connectable to a slave device, the master device comprising:
 a radio transceiver which is configured to provide a first wireless connection between the master device and slave device according to a BLE network protocol, 
 wherein the radio transceiver is configured to provide a second and parallel wireless connection between the master device and the slave device according to said BLE network protocol, 
 wherein the slave device adopts a different MAC address for said each of said first and second wireless connections; and 
 wherein data is sendable between the master device and the slave device using at least the first and second wireless connections. 
 
     
     
       12. A slave device which is wirelessly connectable to a master device, the slave device comprising:
 a radio transceiver which is configured to provide a first wireless connection between the master device and slave device according to a BLE network protocol, 
 wherein the radio transceiver is configured to provide a second and parallel wireless connection between the master device and the slave device according to said same BLE network protocol, 
 the slave device is configured to specify a second MAC address prior to forming the second wireless connection; and 
 wherein data is sendable between the master device and the slave device using at least the first and second wireless connections.